Headlines

Game 2 win would give Pens big edge

by
Adam Kimelman
/ NHL.com

Crosby again playing well with others

PITTSBURGH -- Last season, Sidney Crosby got a new linemate late in the season, and spent the last few weeks of the regular season, and even into the early round of the playoffs, trying to learn the ins and outs of playing with Marian Hossa.

A year later, Crosby again is trying to figure out how to best work with new linemates Bill Guerin and Chris Kunitz. But just like last year with Hossa, while the learning process took a while, the result was wonderful as the pair combined for 18 goals and 53 points in 20 games.

In 17 regular-season games as a unit, Crosby, Guerin and Kunitz combined for 19 goals and 49 points, and in Game 1 of the playoffs against Philadelphia, Crosby had the game's first goal and Kunitz and Guerin each finished plus-1.

"It's been good," Crosby said. "You get more games, more experience, it helps. We're still learning now. I think that definitely helps to go through as many games as you can. But we're still continuing to learn off each other."

-- Adam Kimelman

PITTSBURGH -- There's a saying about the correct use of statistics: Use them like a drunk uses a light pole -- for support, not illumination.

Every game is a must-win at playoff time, but Game 2 of a series might be just a bit more important. Teams that win Game 1 of a series win that series 69.1 percent of the time; teams that win Game 2 take the series 71.8 percent of the time.

And for the Penguins, another win and a 2-0 series lead gives them an 87.2 percent chance of advancing.

In other words, a win Friday (7 p.m. ET, VERSUS, CBC, RDS) in Game 2 of this conference quarterfinal series means a lot more than just moving halfway toward advancing to the next round.

"We can put some pressure on them (with a win), but it's four games and everyone knows that," said Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. "We can put a little more pressure on them if we can win tonight."

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"We got the first one out of the way and now we want the second and that's all we're worried about," defenseman Hal Gill told NHL.com. "You don't worry about percentages; you worry about winning the next game."

Flyers need discipline -- One of the obvious problems for the Flyers in Game 1 was a lack of discipline. They handed the Penguins eight power plays, including three in the first period. While the Pens scored on just one of them, it was the first one and set the tone for the game.

"We were on the penalty kill too much," Flyers coach John Stevens said. "They get the lead on the power play, which gives them confidence. … When you score on your power play early it starts to feel like your whole game plan is in motion."

It's not better play the Flyers need, it's smarter play.

"We know in Game 1 bad penalties -- I don't want to say they cost us the game, but they definitely gave them the momentum early in the game, got their first power play and scored their first goal on it,” Stevens said. “Especially on the road, you know the crowd is going to be energized by it, those guys are going to be energized by that first goal, and it's all coming from a penalty by us. We need to be better at that."

"We took a lazy penalty on the first one and then the penalties we can and will avoid, not giving them opportunities," said Stevens. "There's going to be penalties in the game playing the game the right way and playing with the right intentions. We need to get rid of everything else."

Sbisa played a few games as a forward during his 39 with the Flyers earlier this season. At 19, he'll be the youngest player in the playoffs.

"I talked to him last night," coach John Stevens said. "He's extremely excited. I think he'll do fine. He's a big guy with a really good skill set, strong on the puck, can get in on the forecheck. I really expect him to be fine. He's excited, he's not nervous."